Jake you're the man! Thank you for this. I'm blown away I hadnt heard of the place sooner. My friend put it (he'd been there once at this time): Its as if God himself plucked several lines out of Yosemite and dropped them in Virginia. Plenty of fine routes but several world class. Thanks again Jake man! Maybe we can share a rope together there as well some time soon?

Hey Jake, Complete thread drift but I gotta ask. Can you walk off from OMG dihedral? I've seen it a couple times from RO and it looks sweet but a friend of mine who's a competent leader said he was falling so much following it he was hysterical with laughter. I'd love to TR that thing but wouldn't wanna rap down and have to french free/ improvise aid my way out.

--Stone Master, While you're at RO check out Chasm Crack left of Report to Sick Bay. Its full value climbing that I think is listed at 5.8. It is certainly worth the time after you've admired the beauty that is Strawberry Fields.

Absolutely. Shoot me a PM when you're headed up there, and if I can make it, I'd love to go back. I haven't been there in about a year. My buddy busted his ankle up pretty badly and had to be air lifted off the mountain. Since then, the 'ole ball and chain has been staunch opposition for me going back. I probably won't be able to go until March sometime, but if I'm available, I could meet you either in the parking lot at Berry Hollow, or at whatever crag you're headed to.

Idk what level you're leading at, but if you're around the .10 range, Reflector Oven and God's Area as well as Wall that Dreams are made of will suit you well. If you have anyone else in your party that's below that, or you want routes below the .10 level, Summit Crags and PATC Wall are your best bet. Unless you're a super badass with a high pain tolerance, bring tape. The granite is rough as hell with crystals that will shred you if you shift your jams the slightest bit.

Take some pictures and get on some of the obscure ones if you can. The Old Rag page on MP needs some supplementation. If you have any questions on locating specific crags, I've wandered that place far more than I've climbed on it looking for them- and finding them. The only ones that have eluded me are Sunset and Wall that Dreams are Made Of- but I've never actually looked for the latter- there's not much there (at WTDAMO) and it's still a little above me. The bulk of the classic stuff is all at RO, God's, and WTDAMO- which are all in the same general area. Go as light as you can, the hike in isn't bad- just long, but getting out of the "bowl" at RO will work your quads. Have fun man.

Hey Jake, Complete thread drift but I gotta ask. Can you walk off from OMG dihedral? I've seen it a couple times from RO and it looks sweet but a friend of mine who's a competent leader said he was falling so much following it he was hysterical with laughter. I'd love to TR that thing but wouldn't wanna rap down and have to french free/ improvise aid my way out. --Stone Master, While you're at RO check out Chasm Crack left of Report to Sick Bay. Its full value climbing that I think is listed at 5.8. It is certainly worth the time after you've admired the beauty that is Strawberry Fields.

Yes, you can walk off from it. There are actually two ways to get to it. You can approach from the top: Walk the main Ridge trail until you get to an open slab with a couple nice "lunch blocks" that look perfect for... lunch. Head down that slab and start veering to the right. When you start to see RO come into view, you'll be near the top of OMGD. You'll see two stainless bolts at the top of it. View pic below for reference.

From the bottom, if you follow Ridge trail and hit Bushwhack Trail (which is before the aforementioned open slab coming from the direction of the summit- look for the tree with three trunks etc.) veer left. You won't have to walk long (it's a pretty steep wooded descent, watch your footing- covered with leaves and some holes etc.) about 100 yards or so until you start seeing RO on your right/straight ahead and the Dihedral and God's Area on your left. Follow the base of the rock around to the left and you'll clearly see an approach trail especially in winter. The dihedral will basically be visible the entire time. There's a short easy pitch maybe 5.6 to get you up to the base of the dihedral. Comfy little belay stance. You can either climb out (up to the big slab that will take you back to Ridge Trail) or if you bail, just follow Bushwhack back out the way you came in. Either way is doable. Click on the link that I posted earlier in this thread for topos that will give you a pretty good general idea of both ways.

I had a similar experience as your friend. Complete flailfest, but man is that thing gorgeous.

Oh, and sorry for the unabashed thread drift. But PA climbers would love this place.

Absolutely. Shoot me a PM when you're headed up there, and if I can make it, I'd love to go back. I haven't been there in about a year. My buddy busted his ankle up pretty badly and had to be air lifted off the mountain. Since then, the 'ole ball and chain has been staunch opposition for me going back. I probably won't be able to go until March sometime, but if I'm available, I could meet you either in the parking lot at Berry Hollow, or at whatever crag you're headed to. Idk what level you're leading at, but if you're around the .10 range, Reflector Oven and God's Area as well as Wall that Dreams are made of will suit you well. If you have anyone else in your party that's below that, or you want routes below the .10 level, Summit Crags and PATC Wall are your best bet. Unless you're a super badass with a high pain tolerance, bring tape. The granite is rough as hell with crystals that will shred you if you shift your jams the slightest bit. Take some pictures and get on some of the obscure ones if you can. The Old Rag page on MP needs some supplementation. If you have any questions on locating specific crags, I've wandered that place far more than I've climbed on it looking for them- and finding them. The only ones that have eluded me are Sunset and Wall that Dreams are Made Of- but I've never actually looked for the latter- there's not much there (at WTDAMO) and it's still a little above me. The bulk of the classic stuff is all at RO, God's, and WTDAMO- which are all in the same general area. Go as light as you can, the hike in isn't bad- just long, but getting out of the "bowl" at RO will work your quads. Have fun man.

I definitely want in on this MP Old Rag trip. Can we tentatively plan for 3/23? I could do 3/9 but was looking to go to the new that weekend.

Spontaneity is healthy: let's have an unofficial old rag climb fest then. Share beta, ropes, food, music, stories possibly even around a camp fire? Some world class routes and new, just as motivated as myself, people sounds good to me. Everyones welcome to come celebrate crack climbing at one of our nations best quality (not quantit) spots.

Spontaneity is healthy: let's have an unofficial old rag climb fest then. Share beta, ropes, food, music, stories possibly even around a camp fire? Some world class routes and new, just as motivated as myself, people sounds good to me. Everyones welcome to come celebrate crack climbing at one of our nations best quality (not quantit) spots with us.

White rock acres has two cracks on the wall just past the "main" 60ft wall. A few years ago my buddy and I climbed them; there was a dude there who said they were 5.5/5.6 (agreed). I don't remember much about them but they are cracks and they are in PA. Anyone know anything on these? Hard to miss these if you're facing the wall.

I've checked out the cracks at Minister Creek (3 or so I think). The problems are that they're on a north-facing wall, under a heavy canopy of trees, with a good bit of ground water. Right now the vegetation is heavy. Even if you were to take the time to clean them, they may never dry out well. There is that long OW that's always in Minister Creek pictures. Looks tough, never climbed it.

Doug, I had never heard of minister creek. I found a pic on rockclimbing.com of that offwidth and it looks sweet! Nothing on mountain proj. Maybe because of mnt projs awesome app someone who knows minister could add it?

There's no useful beta I've found for minister besides the closest town. Anyone have beta? I haven't been but want to go (I love obscure places! For me its obscure) just for that offwidth. Any concensus on the difficulty? The name of it? Awesome doug!

P.s. nothing comes up in google maps for a trueman, pa. What is the (or another) close town or city so I can get an idea. Thanks.

Planning climbing trips in Virginia on a PA thread...that's classic PA climbers right there. Spontaneity is healthy: let's have an unofficial old rag climb fest then. Share beta, ropes, food, music, stories possibly even around a camp fire? Some world class routes and new, just as motivated as myself, people sounds good to me. Everyones welcome to come celebrate crack climbing at one of our nations best quality (not quantit) spots with us.

Minister Creek isn't hard to find. If you go into google maps and search for Miniter Creek Recreation Area it'll pop up. It's on Rt. 666 that runs east/west from over by Sheffield, PA to over by East Hickory, PA. There's a small parking lot along the road (rt. 666) and a pretty nice loop trail that takes you to the overlook. The North Country Trail hooks up with the Minister Creek Trail out past the overlook somewhere so if you walk the whole loop I guess you could pick up the wrong trail, but I've never walked out that far to know from personal experience whether that could be an issue. I don't spend much time out there, it's pretty dirty. But hey, it's February and the plants are sleeping so maybe it'll be ok. Have fun.

There's no useful beta I've found for minister besides the closest town. Anyone have beta? I haven't been but want to go (I love obscure places! For me its obscure) just for that offwidth. Any concensus on the difficulty? The name of it?

The FA belongs to some guy in the 80's. I can't remember his name or the name of the climb. I saw it in an online version of an older PA guidebook. It looks .11 or greater. The OW goes about 40+ feet slightly overhanging onto some crimpy face climbing, all potentially damp. Your last piece better be bomber because you're getting nothing else in above. There's lots of good climbing on both sides of the valley, but all dirty, with a 20 minute approach. Only fit for an adventure weekend, if that's your thing.

Adventure weekends are my thing. I already showed my wife and told her I'm going to climb that offwidth this season on one of our many adventures this summer seeking PA`s cracks. My level right now is within the 5.10 trad range. Maybe that'll be my first trad 5.11?

If you have a picture, or pictures, of PA cracks (with or without a climber) that YOU or a friend took and don't mind it being in this database (guidebookish, i like pictures of climbs) will you send it to me? With the beta like the climb, climber, area, etc. My e-mail is thorspedigree@gmail.com I'm starting with boulder cracks (bouldering areas) and moving from there but would like pictures of any crack in PA.

Ill be at pond bank Sunday. Planning on most of the day. Scouting southern comfort and north face left and taking advantage of the snow and seeking new rock south of brown rocks. Then I'm going to put up a new route past the craggy pines area then I'm hoping to see what I can do on the new boulder. Anyones welcome to join.

Saturday I'm building a vertical, to overhanging to vertical offwidth at my home! It'll be my 7th crack I've added to PA, they're just all at my home. Excited.

Well I'm building an offwidth crack machine and I'm going to climb that 12 offwidth at minister this season. That's my offwidth goal. Thanks for posting that rick, hearing it may be unrepeated motivates me!

I discovered pond banks 2 nicest, (soon to be) cleanest, splitter cracks. 1 hands, 1 fingers. I also discovered a new to climbers 60ft high by 100ft wide wall with a few fine looking cracks (splitters but you'd have to continue into corners or face climbing to top out). This new wall also has a few overhanging sections (one has a thin crack through the clean overhanging section lasting about 12ft then you've topped out so the overhanging sections are up higher!) Also about 10, most are overhanging, boulders that will most likely be in the v grades. Some with shit landings some with nice ones. Some 3-5 moves all the way to 7, 8, 9 who knows moves. some out of caves created by other boulders.

Pictures to come when I download from camera to phone. I will not be leaving pa as much this year because some of this. I'm developing at pond bank! Join me.

I'm here now. Taking a break. About to put up a new route past craggy pines. Nice looking corner reached via hand and finger crack. If it goes ill post all the new stuff tomorrow.